A new experiment to bring you a round-up of EPC news in five minutes or less, using video! Today, CLG statement on non-compliance in commercial; more HIP reform critics; CLG/Accred docs for download; and DECs on non-dom consultation.

The CLG has put dodgy Energy Assessors and accreditation schemes on notice in a pre-christmas letter to schemes which list a catalogue of "unacceptable practices" and shortcomings, this site can reveal. A new regime is implemented with immediate effect.

The Institute of Home Inspection has pulled out of consultation talks with the CLG in protest at the un-representative make-up of panelists officials at the department want. Other groups, including accreditation schemes, are also angry it would seem.

There is a massive gap between yesterday's reported EPC numbers from John Healey and those made on the HCR Register which reveals a gulf between marketed sales and other areas of EPC provision, possibly.

The new Housing Minister, John Healey, not only blatantly ignores a question on the performance of TSOs, but basically says they can do what they want - but what does that mean in light of last year's public relations disaster in Birmingham?

John Healey replaces Margaret Beckett as housing minister after she resigns because she wasn't promoted to a cabinet role. Thanks Margaret for, er, well, yes. And John... what can you possibly do in the remaining time?

Good interview (podcast) with Ed Miliband, secretary of state for energy and climate change, in which he is confronted with the question of Peak Oil and climate change at the 2009 Transition Network conference - but he doesn't quite get it.

News leaked on Thursday that ABBE has been instructed by the CLG to drop the NOS for Home Energy Advisors, it is claimed. And further research by this site reveals how stakeholders really feel about who should provide this advice - DEAs, look away!

The CLG today published its long-awaited clarification on the use of data gatherers for Energy Performance Certificates for domestic, non-domestic and public buildings - and level 3 use is totally out of the question.

The total number of EPCs lodged for the rental housing sector - private and social - stands at nearly 742,000, Margaret Beckett has revealed. Now we can approximate market activity in each of the residential sectors, approximately.

The CLG has written to AHIPP saying an Energy Performance Certificate need not be included within a basic Home Information Pack before marketing commences, after 6th April, if it's not available after 14 days.

Here we look at how the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) consultation, running alongside the Heat and Energy Saving Strategy, impacts upon Domestic Energy Assessors, Home Energy Advisers and Community Energy Advisers

The Government's Heat and Energy Saving Strategy, announced Thursday, directly impacts Domestic Energy Assessors. Here are the main proposals you should be aware of if you're wanting to influence and stay ahead of the crowd.

So Government has done it again: First Day Marketing is to be extended until April 5th 2009. It has also announced the introduction of PIQs (Property Information Questionaires) on the same day plus a few other measures discussed herein with the occassional comment from IPPA (Independent Pack Providers Association).

Very interesting presentation (podcast and slides available) from Dr Brenda Boardman to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas (APPGOPO) earlier this month, discussing the importance and potential benefits of Energy Performance Certificates. Recommended.

The number of accredited non-domestic energy assessors on October 1st 2008 was not 471, as the CLG stated, but 751 - more than six times the forecasted numbers needed - according to an email John Morren received last week. As revealed here, 3000 NDEAs could soon flood the market in coming months - More numbers are inside.

The CLG quietly published an interim report into the operation of Home Information Packs, Energy Performance Certificates and Home Condition Reports last Friday. Here is a more in-depth overview of its findings which I actually believe is fairly constructive overall

The CLG has published a guide to dates and events that trigger an EPC on commercial properties (non-domestic). Plus, respect yourself and your online reputation: keep out of trouble with your accreditation scheme.

Margaret Beckett replaced Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, in Gordon Brown's latest reshuffle - the fourth minister in around 18 months! But we also have a new department of energy and climate change too, so where is this going? Who is running the gaff now?

The CLG has published its guide to the October 1st 2008 changes to the Energy Performance Certificate and Home Information Pack regulations - at last! Also, approved methodologies for EPC and DEC production were published this week, including approved software applications for SAP 2005, SBEM, DSM and ORCalc.

The poorest performing accreditation schemes have been warned they have 12 months to improve or risk losing their licence. That was one of the messages presented to representatives of Domestic ENergy Assessors at the latest CLG-hosted DEA Workshop held on Tuesday (23rd Sept 08). Also, lack of interest from Trading Standards and the Advertising Standards Authority on both estate agent compliance and training providers respectively.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint on Wednesday ruled out any Home Information Pack review until after the housing market returns to normal conditions, she told Lib Dem Mark Oaten in a written parliamentary answer

The DCLG has confirmed that First Day Marketing will begin 1st January 2009, ending the current temporary provisions allowing homes to be marketed without an Home Information Pack, providing one has been commissioned.

The CLG has today announced that Energy Performance Certificates within a Home Information Pack will, from October 1st 2008, be valid for three years. Non-domestic EPC requirements set back until 4th January 2009 - bang up to the EU limit - and... no clarification of the mass confusion surrounding the domestic and rental transitional EPC arrangements!

Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) convened on Communities and Local Government (CLG) HQ for a DEA Workshop early August. Here we look at plans to recruit and train DEAs to supply an extended Energy Performance Certificate to homeowners as part of a new paid for service from the Energy Saving Trust to supply Home Action Plans.

Will this create an elite minority of DEAs earning higher fees? This is the second concluding part looking at the proposals and decisions made at the meeting

Domestic Energy Assessors and industry representatives met with the CLG last week to plot a path for the future of Energy Performance Certificates, and those serving them. Here we gather views and gauge consquences. Part 1 of 2 looks at a proposed CPD shake-up